detriment, disadvantage, or deprivation from failure to keep, have, or get: to bear the loss of a robbery.
2.
something that is lost: The painting was the greatest loss from the robbery.
3.
an amount or number lost: The loss of life increased each day.
4.
the state of being deprived of or of being without something that one has had: the loss of old friends.
5.
death, or the fact of being dead: to mourn the loss of a grandparent.
6.
the accidental or inadvertent losing of something dropped, misplaced, stolen, etc.: to discover the loss of a document.
7.
a losing by defeat; failure to win: the loss of a bet.
8.
failure to make good use of something, as time; waste.
9.
failure to preserve or maintain: loss of engine speed at high altitudes.
10.
destruction or ruin: the loss of a ship by fire.
11.
a thing or a number of related things that are lost or destroyed to some extent: Most buildings in the burned district were a total loss.
12.
Military.
a.
the losing of soldiers by death, capture, etc.
b.
Often, losses.the number of soldiers so lost.
13.
Insurance. occurrence of an event, as death or damage of property, for which the insurer makes indemnity under the terms of a policy.
14.
Electricity. a measure of the power lost in a system, as by conversion to heat, expressed as a relation between power input and power output, as the ratio of or difference between the two quantities.
—Idiom
15.
at a loss,
a.
at less than cost; at a financial loss.
b.
in a state of bewilderment or uncertainty; puzzled; perplexed: We are completely at a loss for an answer to the problem.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME; OE los destruction; c. ON los looseness, breaking up. See lose, loose]
O.E. los "loss, destruction," from P.Gmc. *lausam- (see lose). The modern word, however, probably evolved 14c. from lost, the original pp. of lose. Phrase at a loss (1592) originally refers to hounds losing the scent. To cut one's losses is from 1912.
something that is lost; "the car was a total loss"; "loss of livestock left the rancher bankrupt"
2.
gradual decline in amount or activity; "weight loss"; "a serious loss of business"
3.
the act of losing someone or something; "everyone expected him to win so his loss was a shock"
4.
the disadvantage that results from losing something; "his loss of credibility led to his resignation"; "losing him is no great deprivation"
5.
the experience of losing a loved one; "he sympathized on the loss of their grandfather"
6.
the amount by which the cost of a business exceeds its revenue; "the company operated at a loss last year"; "the company operated in the red last year" [ant: gain]
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: loss Function: noun 1: physical, emotional, or esp. economic harm or damage sustained: as a: decrease in value, capital, or amount—compare GAINb: an amount by which the cost of something (as goods or services) exceeds the selling price—compare PROFITc: something unintentionally destroyed or placed beyond recovery d: the amountof an insured's financial detriment due to the occurrence of a stipulated event (as death, injury, destruction, or damage) in such a manner as to create liability in the insurer under the terms of thepolicy NOTE: As a general rule, economic losses are deductible from adjusted gross income under section 165 of the Internal Revenue Code. There are, however, numerous exceptions andlimitations.actual loss : the identifiable and calculable monetary detriment that is suffered or will be suffered as a result of an act or eventactual totalloss : a loss in marine insurance in which the property (as a vessel or cargo) cannot be repaired or recovered —compare CONSTRUCTIVE TOTAL LOSS in this entrycapital loss : the amount by which the book value of acapital asset exceeds the amount realized from the sale or exchange of the assetcasualty loss : loss of property as a result of a fire, storm, shipwreck, or other catastrophiceventconsequential loss : a loss that arises as an indirect result of an act or event called also indirect loss —compare DIRECT LOSS in this entryconstructive total loss : a loss in marine insurance in which the cost of repairingor recovering a ship or its cargo would be more than the ship or cargo is worth —compare ACTUAL TOTAL LOSS in thisentrydirect loss : a loss arising directly from an act or event —compare CONSEQUENTIAL LOSSin this entryin·di·rect loss :CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS in this entrynetop·er·at·ing loss : the amount by which the expenses of operating a business exceed the income derived from it —see also CARRYBACK, CARRYOVERordinary loss :a loss from the sale or exchange of any asset that is not a capital assetpartial loss : a loss arising from damage to property that does not render it a total losstotalloss : a loss arising from damage to property that is so substantial as to make the property valueless to an insured 2: the act or fact of suffering physical,emotional, or esp. economic harm or detriment
lossjargon Something (not a person) that loses; a situation in which something is losing. Emphatic forms include "moby loss", and "total loss", "complete loss". Common interjections are "What a loss!" and "What a moby loss!" Note that "moby loss" is OK even though **"moby loser" is not used; applied to an abstract noun, moby is simply a magnifier, whereas when applied to a person it implies substance and has positive connotations. Compare lossage. (1995-04-19)
n. Something (not a person) that loses; a situation in which something is losing. Emphatic forms include `moby loss', and `total loss', `complete loss'. Common interjections are "What a loss!" and "What a moby loss!" Note that `moby loss' is OK even though **`moby loser' is not used; applied to an abstract noun, moby is simply a magnifier, whereas when applied to a person it implies substance and has positive connotations. Compare lossage.
Gain\ (g[=a]n), n. [OE. gain, gein, ga[yogh]hen, gain, advantage, Icel. gagn; akin to Sw. gagn, Dan. gavn, cf. Goth. gageigan to gain. The word was prob. influenced by F. gain gain, OF. gaain. Cf. Gain, v. t.]1. That which is gained, obtained, or acquired, as increase, profit, advantage, or benefit; -- opposed to loss. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. --Phil. iii. 7. Godliness with contentment is great gain. --1 Tim. vi. 6. Every one shall share in the gains. --Shak. 2. The obtaining or amassing of profit or valuable possessions; acquisition; accumulation. "The lust of gain." --Tennyson.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [laws, los] Pronunciation Key 
